Kent mayor says Fred Meyer exit was long time coming

A total of five Fred Meyer stores are closing in western Washington , including one in Kent.

Earlier this week, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph released a statement on the closures, saying she was “angry, frustrated, and sad” about the impact the shuttering of her local Fred Meyer would have on the community.

Although she was displeased by the closure, she wanted to make it clear that her office understands the reason behind the decision.

“It’s a business decision on the part of a for-profit corporation. It is based on crime concerns. It’s based on the fact that the merger that they attempted was denied, and the fact that the model for shopping has just changed significantly, not only just across our region, but across the country. So I think there’s a lot more nuance to it than just being up